City Notebook: Hot potato corridor?

By COLLIN GALLANT on November 18, 2023.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Five years ago this column ran a “potato week” edition to have some fun with the ag sector that was just sprouting in southern Alberta, just west of here, but it’s proved to be serious business.

There are few current issues where spuds aren’t lurking in the background – growing them, storing them, trucking them, or turning them into slivers and feeding them to children.

Indeed, the lowly tuber appears to be the cure all for what ails the economic landscape.

They were front and centre in talks this week between municipal leaders along Highway 3. Manna would result from new water management projects to upgrade flood protections and better manage irrigation works.

But it was still surprising last month when Danielle Smith told a local business audience the region could have capacity for two more major processing plants.

At the time of the 2018 “potato week” column, St. Mary Irrigation District chair and Hat-area farmer Gary Franz intimated to the News he still felt there was room for, maybe, one more major plant.

It was like he was talking about hunting for Moby Dick.

This week, Franz counted two expansions since and lots of tire-kicking, he said this week. Already on the stretch of Highway 3 are McCain Foods, Cavendish Farms, Lamb Weston and Hostess Frito Lay.

“Whenever I travelled to (SMRID) meetings in Lethbridge I could feel the economy speeding up going in that direction,” he told Hat city councillors this week.

He sees Seven Persons as a logical location for easy access and proximity to a Hat-based workforce. “I’ll push this forward to anyone who’ll listen.”

Of course, Premier Smith has made the “Premier food corridor” (not named for her) the centrepiece issue as an area MLA since 2022.

And whatever Taber has wanted for the last several years now, it seems Taber has gotten.

In a similar not so wink-wink piece of politicking, Hat Stampede officials said being on board with the corridor plan was something City Hall should consider while council considered support for a $37-million grandstand expansion.

It’s high times for the potato, no doubt.

Now, only if this five-year drought would break.

Food for thought

If you watch your pennies, the dollars take care of themselves. Of course, there’s another saying about being penny-wise and pound-foolish.

And while a penny saved is a penny earned, you have to spend money to make money, don’t you?

Is it any wonder everyone is broke these days?

Season’s greetings

After a snow-free Midnight Madness kickoff to the Christmas Season on Friday night, colder temperatures are expected this week.

The annual book sale to benefit the Medicine Hat Public Library continues today, as does a similar event in Redcliff.

The annual CHAT 94.5 food drive rolled to a 300,000-plus pound total on Thursday.

Put your yard away this weekend, but also schedule a number of events for the next six weeks.

– The Medicine Hat Pottery Club pre-Christmas sale will be held Dec. 2 and 3 at the Cultural Centre;

– Olde Tyme Christmas at the Stampede Grounds is set for Dec. 7;

– The CP Holiday Train arrives in Medicine Hat on the afternoon of Dec. 19 for a performance by MacKenzie Porter at the food bank fundraiser.

A look ahead

Council sits Monday to discuss a singe-rate proposal for natural gas in 2024, including a public hearing. Cypress County council talks budget and strategic planning Tuesday, as well as the recent “Regional Drainage” proposal rolled out to Hat council this past week.

100 years ago

The Chamber of Commerce and United Farmers would unite to promote tree planting in the region, rang out the headline in the News this week in 1923.

To this end, the chamber had acquired a specialized “lantern that can project slides” with information from the forestry station in Indian Head, Sask.

A feat of daring at Retlaw… a rancher and his boys totalled 80 rattlesnakes killed as they dug out a nest discovered while plowing.

Victor St. George, the original proprietor of the American Hotel after his discharge from the NWMP, had passed away.

The Supreme Court refused an appeal of a Hamilton store owner successfully sued by a female clerk. She was awarded $1,500 in damages after an advert invited customers inside to “flirt with the pretty blond behind the glove counter.”

Britain would go to the polls Dec. 5, it was announced before stockmarkets crashed over fears of a Labour government.

Collin Gallant covers city politics and a variety of topics for the News. Reach him at 403-528-5664 or via email at cgallant@medicinehatnews.com.